Military News

Thursday, January 16, 2014

by Staff Sgt. Stephen Linch
352nd Special Operations Group Public Affairs

12/23/2013 - RAF FAIRFORD, England -- The
352nd Special Operations Group conducted an exercise involving
approximately 130 Airmen and six aircraft at RAF Fairford, England from
Dec. 9-12.

The exercise was designed to allow the 352nd SOG to practice and
evaluate their ability to efficiently forward deploy their newest
assets, the CV-22 Osprey and MC-130J Commando II.

"Before we ever did anything with these new aircraft - other than local
training - we sat down and took a long time to think about all of the
skill sets and all of the equipment that we would need to go on the
road," said Lt. Col. Michael Thomas, 352nd Special Operations Support
Squadron director of operations and exercise mission commander. "This
exercise is a way to validate our efforts and identify those things
before we look at venturing further from home."

The 352nd SOG received their first CV-22s and MC-130Js earlier this
year. The CV-22 Osprey is flown by the 7th Special Operations Squadron
and combines the vertical takeoff, hover and vertical-landing
capabilities of a helicopter with the long range, fuel efficiency and
speed of a turboprop aircraft. The MC-130J is flown by the 67th Special
Operations Squadron and flies low-visibility, single or multi-ship
low-level air refueling missions for helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft
as well as resupply and transport of military forces via airdrop or
airland.

According to Col. Christopher Ireland, 352nd SOG commander, they couldn't have picked a better location for the exercise.

"RAF Fairford is a perfect location for us to test our ability to
forward deploy our new CV-22s and MC-130Js," Ireland said. "These new
aircraft bring enhanced and new capabilities, and we greatly appreciate
the opportunity to test ourselves so close to home."

The 352nd SOG is based at RAF Mildenhall, England. The unit plans and
executes specialized and contingency operations using advanced aircraft,
tactics and air refueling techniques to transport and resupply military
forces.

1/16/2014 - YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- The 910th Airlift Wing recently received approval to host a 2014 air show and open house.

'Thunder over the Valley 2014' hosted by the 910th AW and presented by
the Youngstown Air Reserve Base-Community Council, is scheduled for May
17-18. The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team,
America's Ambassadors in Blue, is scheduled to headline the show.
Additional flying acts and static displays will be featured and will be
announced as they are confirmed by show coordinators.

"We are proud to open our gates to the public and highlight our
world-class personnel and facilities," said Col. James D. Dignan, 910th
AW commander. "It is more important now than ever to invite the
residents of the Mahoning Valley and beyond to YARS and let them see not
only what we bring to the national defense but to the local community
as well."

1/16/2014 - YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- Security
forces personnel have always played a vital role in Yokota's mission.
However, one of the more unnoticed aspects of security forces is their
commitment to ensuring that Yokota Airmen are proficient in combat arms.

"We are here to ensure Yokota Airmen have the ability to effectively and
safely handle the weapons systems we train on," said Staff Sgt. Stephen
Ceo, 374th Security Forces Squadron combat arms instructor. "Without
us, service members would not deploy with the confidence and capability
they need to protect resources and each other."

Combat arms instructors train Airmen on a variety of weapons to include
pistols, submachine guns, shotguns, grenade launchers and rifles.

With recent changes to the qualification, students can expect to go a little more in-depth with their weapon than before.

"Recently, the Air Force has implemented new changes to the
qualification process," said Senior Airman Dominique Adams, 374th
Security Forces Squadron combat arms instructor. "We now instruct
students on how to shoot and move quickly and effectively. Students are
also required to communicate their status as they take cover, reload and
conduct immediate actions," he said.

Though the job can be stressful for instructors, it still comes with many rewards.

"Watching a student who was nervous about handling weapons getting
"expert" is a great feeling as an instructor," said Adams. "Knowing they
accomplished something they could not have done without you is one of
the reasons why I love my job."

Students can feel confident when they enter each combat arms class. Each
instructor attends a ten-week course specializing in professional
firearms and spends several years learning the components of a variety
of weapons. Not to mention comprehensive instructing techniques to
better relay information to students.

"We will ensure the best possible training for each and every person who
gets on the plane heading to war from Yokota," said Ceo. "We go through
rigorous training so we are able to effectively prepare service members
before they go downrange."

"We can visit individual squadrons and give briefings, or speak at
commander's calls, to give an overview of the FY 14 Force Management
programs," Green said. "If we can't answer a question right there, we'll
contact AFPC and find an answer."

Beidler and Green added that a town hall is in the works for late
January that will have segments tailored to the needs of Airmen who fall
into different force management categories.

"I encourage everyone to look over the PSDMs (personnel services
delivery memorandums) listed on myPers to see what they may be eligible
for, and to review their records in the virtual MPF to make sure they're
accurate" Beidler said. "If there is any inaccurate information, or a
missing document in their Personnel Records Display, service members can
contact the MPF for assistance. We are here to help!"

1/16/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- It
was a perfect sunny day the morning of Aug. 8, 2010. As a recreational
bush pilot and avid golfer, Don Erbey's agenda called for a quick flight
up to Knik Glacier with a handful of friends and then a tee time of 2
p.m. It was going to be a good day.

A Navy veteran and current 773d Civil Engineer Squadron power production
section work leader, Erbey took off into the crisp morning air with
clear skies and a planeload of excited tourists. Spirits were high and
chatter abuzz as they climbed up the glacier approaching Lake George,
located in a valley surrounded by jagged mountains.

Out of nowhere the weather changed. What were clear skies moments before
was suddenly a fog that allowed near zero visibility. An experienced
pilot, Erbey knew he had to get out of the area, and fast.

"Normally in a situation like that, you do a 180 and get out of there,"
Erbey said. "But due to the weather system that was settling in, the
aircraft was being forced down. My altimeter showed I was dropping
rapidly."

As Erbey started his turn, he hoped and prayed he had enough altitude to
clear a turn over the glacier and get out of the valley. He did not.

The ground rose up fast. Erbey did his best to get the plane into some
sort of landing position with only seconds to brace for collision.

Impact. The plane hit unevenly, ripping the right strut off the aircraft
and causing the 300 horsepower Cherokee Six plane to skip across the
glacier before coming to a stop.

Miraculously, the worst injury was a gash on Erbey's nose. All souls were still breathing.
Erbey took stock of his people and resources, analyzing what to do next.
He noticed his emergency locator beacon, which is supposed to go off
automatically, did not. He manually activated it and began calling for
help. His calls were answered. A fellow pilot heard his calls and began
relaying them to rescue officials.

His locator beacon was picked up by the Alaska Rescue Coordination
Center located on JBER, setting off a chain of precise responses by
highly trained military professionals. Weather and terrain made for
hellish rescue conditions for the responders. In all, three different
aircraft and four pararescuemen, or PJs, spent four days assisting Erbey
and his passengers to get off the mountain.

Erbey missed his tee time that day, but everyone made it safely back to
civilization with "more bruised pride than anything else," as Erbey put
it.

Making it off the mountain would not have been possible without the hard
work of everyone involved, but none more crucial than the coordination
efforts of the Alaska Air Guardsmen with the AKRCC.

SAVING LIVES

Since 1994, the AKRCC has helped coordinate the rescue of more than 2,065 lives through 5,120 missions.

The primary mission of the Alaska RCC is to provide a 24-hour rescue
coordination capability in support of military and civil aviation search
and rescue needs in the Alaska search and rescue region. Additionally,
the center may provide assistance in the prosecution of humanitarian
rescue in Alaska, other countries and to SAR agencies in other SRRs if
it does not conflict with AKRCC's primary mission. Ultimately, the role
of the center in civil rescue is in direct support of the National SAR
Plan, a cabinet-level federal plan. Representing Alaska's federal inland
search and rescue coordinator, the AKRCC serves as the single agency
responsible for coordinating on-land and aviation federal SAR activities
in the mainland of Alaska.

The Alaska RCC is located on JBER and operates 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. The center directly ties in to the Federal Aviation
Administration's alerting system and the U.S. Mission Control Center. In
addition to the Search and Rescue Satellite Aided Tracking information,
the AKRCC computer system contains resource files that list federal,
state and volunteer civilian organizations, which can conduct or assist
in SAR efforts throughout the state and neighboring regions.

As one of only two Air Force rescue coordination centers in the U.S.,
the AKRCC operates differently than any other search and rescue program.

"The Alaska Search and Rescue program is one of the most highly sought
after plans because we have excellent partner agency relationships,"
said Robert Carte, AKRCC superintendent and a 20-year Alaska Guard
veteran. "In the Lower 48, SAR is controlled by county sheriffs, so
there is a lot of coordination that has to go on, whereas in Alaska we
are the central location to help out state agencies."

BEHIND THE SCENES

"We perform an active duty mission with title 32 Air Guard status,"
Carte said. "Twelve full time guardsmen - six rated officers pulling
double duty that fly for the 176th Wing and six enlisted Airmen."

Those 12 Airmen perform the administrative actions that are critical to SAR.
"Many times, our end customers only see what happens at the ground level
- the PJs getting off a helicopter, and they are amazing in their own
right," Carte said. "But a lot of coordination happens in the background
to make that happen."

Getting an emergency call sets off any one of a number of checklists at
the AKRCC designed to most efficiently preserve life and limb and beat
the "tyranny of time and distance," Carte said.

"When the phone rings, we start taking notes on that and start the
process," Carte said. "But the key takeaway is the AKRCC has no tasking
authority. We're responsible for coordinating SAR in the Alaska region,
yes, but we use whoever will say yes."

The rescue center has many different assets at its disposal to include
Civil Air Patrol, the Army National Guard, active-duty Army and Air
Force, and the Coast Guard just to name a few, but their primary assets
are the three rescue squadrons of the 176th Wing at JBER.
Air National Guard Lt. Col. Karl Westerlund, AKRCC director stressed the
importance of all the agencies working in harmony to save lives.

"Whether it's a dedicated military SAR unit, a state organization or a
local volunteer team, it takes people from all of the pages of our
playbook to successfully execute SAR missions across Alaska and the
Arctic," Westerlund said. "Without the assistance of our joint and
partner agencies, none of it would be possible."

Carte said the positive relationships within the joint and total force are key to saving lives in Alaska.

"Relationships here matter and amplifies why we have citizen Airmen here
in this job," Carte said. "When SAR happens in Alaska, it's a little
more critical because of the extremes. Seconds matter and if we have to
forge new relationships with the person on the other end of the line
every time we make that phone call, it wastes time."

AHEAD OF THE GAME

A veteran of three different Air Force Specialty Codes, one of which was
a helicopter flight engineer, Carte's experience allows him to be able
to efficiently plan out rescue efforts.
"I have experience being out on the 'cold dark and stormy' as we call
it," Carte said. "I know what they're going through out there. I know
how to think ahead five or six steps so that the flight crews as my
customers get the best service they need. If I know they're going to
need gas and the usual place is snowed in, I'm going to find gas in
three other locations and have it set up with somebody standing at the
pump waiting for them."
From talking to frantic survivors to calling hospitals to arrange care
for incoming patients, it's all in a day's work for Carte.

"This job is extremely rewarding," he said. "All of us here, we all do
this because it's what we want to do. This isn't a job to us. This is
our lives."

Westerlund summed up with the intangible rewards of saving lives.

"The business of SAR is a virtuous calling," Westerlund said. "Being
part of a life-saving effort on a daily basis has no higher reward. The
controllers of the AKRCC are the critical connection between those in
peril, and those who have the capability to prosecute a rescue mission."

HAVE A PLAN

Carte stressed that while he and the crew at the rescue center are
willing and eager to help save lives, if you have to call them,
something went wrong.

"Having a plan and ensuring you have adequate survival supplies will go far in you helping yourself," Carte stressed.

The AKRCC has emergency locater beacons available to JBER personnel and
highly encourages people to stop by and check one out free of charge
before setting off on any trip or adventure in the Alaskan wilderness.

Don Erbey discovered the importance of having some sort of emergency locator beacon firsthand.

"When I went down, my radio still worked for a little bit, but I don't
know what we would have done without an emergency locator beacon," he
said. "Anybody going out should always have a plan and have emergency
supplies like that."

For more information on the AKRCC or to request an emergency locator beacon, please call 551-7236.

1/16/2014 - JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Hurricane
Sandy's punch brought a long aftermath of recovery efforts to rebuild,
renew and regenerate livelihoods and a sense of normalcy to the victims.
Now remembered as one of the strongest and probably most brutal
hurricanes on record to ravish the East Coast, many were forced to start
from scratch, tirelessly rebuilding homes, businesses and replacing a
life's worth of belongings.

Several Freedom Wing Airmen were affected by Sandy and many participated
in the relief efforts following its aftermath. One Airman's unique
journey required him to recuperate amid a two-month shipment to basic
military training, four months of technical school training and another
three months of seasonal training, all within the one year anniversary.

October also marked two anniversaries for Senior Airman Julius Guest, a
514th Air Mobility Wing knowledge operations manager: The day he lost
his home to an accidental fire and his first wedding anniversary with
his longtime friend and confidante, Kathlyn Guest, who served as his
motivator and supporter along his jarring journey.

A seasoned New Yorker and long-time Queens resident, Guest regularly
attended unit training assemblies to prepare for BMT while serving as a
member of the wing's development and training flight.

A month into his marriage, he was living the typical newlywed life
building a foundation for his family, which included his wife and cat,
Mischief, in their three-bedroom home situated on the second floor of a
three-story complex. On the night of the storm, a freak accident would
drastically change the trajectory of 2013 - a year pre-planned for new
beginnings that would now include new challenges.

"I vividly remember the night of the storm because I was watching Monday
Night Football," Guest said. "I was next to my stockpile of flashlights
and batteries in case of any outages due to the impending storm."

Despite a fast approaching storm, his block stayed relatively calm and
unaffected by the fierce winds which caused power outages. Before
retiring to bed, he brewed a cup of tea but was confused by the burning
smell permeating the room and the heavy footsteps prodding from above.
The commotion concerning due to the arrival of the storm prompted him to
wake his wife, retrieve their cat and leave the sanctuary of their
home, he said.

"We went outside and saw our neighbors huddled beneath a tree," he said.
"They were in a safe spot away from the flames. Smoke engulfed the top
level of our housing complex then the fire started spreading to lower
levels and to the adjacent houses."

Piercing sirens were heard from the fire trucks which descended upon the
scene. Their home did not succumb to flooding or high force winds.
Instead, the loss came from a candle flame that ignited a top floor
curtain burning not only a building, but families' essentials and
several years' worth of belongings. A neighbor's cat was the single
fatality in the accident and conditions were unequivocally altered for
residents of the housing complex.

"Going back into the house was terrible because there was so much
damage," he said. "There was water damage in the living room and
bedrooms, and we had no clothes left."

Only able to retrieve the few items they were able to salvage, Guest and
his wife were forced to move in with their in-laws nearby until the
Federal Emergency Management Agency evaluated their losses. The ensuing
aftermath was a mandate for Guest to realign his priorities. He was
initially hesitant to leave home amidst the chaos and confusion citing
concerns about leaving his wife to search for a new home while spending
eight and a half weeks more than 1500 miles away, he said.

However, with the encouragement of his wife and support from Senior
Master Sgt. Joseph Gentile and Tech. Sgt. Timothy Mullin, 514th Air
Mobility Wing development and training flight instructors, he prevailed.
Guest said he could not be deterred by distance and the prospect of
uncertainty and was eventually able to reclaim his ambition and
enthusiasm for an aspiration he's desired for years - a career in the
Reserves.

"The members here were very empathetic to my situation," he said. "I was
able to go to my instructors for assistance and they were very helpful
with coordinating assistance through the family readiness center here
which supplied me with canned goods, clothing and other resources I
needed help getting access to."

A component of the recovery process required Guest to follow through
with obligations to his family and the Reserves. His wife was an
integral piece of that realization and an enforcer of his commitment.

"One of the many lessons I learned from my relationship with Julius is
that you have to support the healthy, positive dreams," said Kathlyn.
"Julius has always wanted to join the Reserves and I felt like I would
be doing our relationship a great injustice by holding him back. Julius
is my best friend, and when he is happy, I am happy."

Challenges brought on by the uncertainty of home conditions stayed with
him in January of this year when he arrived in San Antonio and found
himself immersed in an intimidating new world known as BMT. Even without
the burden of starting a life from scratch, BMT can be daunting for any
new trainee under the watchful eye of virulent military training
instructors and unfamiliar situations, but the greatest hindrance was
scarce communication and updates from home.

"I needed reassurance that I could make it through BMT but at the same
time I had to stay positive for my family because my wife was still
living with her mother, dealing with FEMA, working full-time, and trying
to secure a new home for us," he said. "The distance was hard because I
didn't want her to feel like she was neglected, but we both needed
comforting during that time."

Although the anxiety of his absence brought worries, Kathlyn said she
redirected her energy towards stabilizing the situation at home. In
March, she moved into a three-bedroom home just five months after the
storm, spending time organizing their possessions and decorating her
canvass to prepare for her husband's return. She also continued working
professionally as an international relations specialist with Credit
Suisse. However, her emotional scars still needed nurturing after being
temporarily separated from her husband and forever losing some of her
most precious belongings.

"Coping was hard after the fire," she said. "In some ways, I'm still
deeply affected. I panic if I smell an unfamiliar scent in the house or
if I hear a fire truck nearby. But the humbling lesson from this
experience was to appreciate life's treasures found in people and
relationships. Realize how sudden your life and loved ones can be taken
away from you and cherish the time you have with them."

In June, they were reunited when Guest returned from technical school,
but the reunion was abbreviated once Guest subsequently began a
three-month seasoning training obligation here. However, the devastating
consequences of the most life-altering event either of them had endured
brought the pair closer together and equipped them to face adversity in
the future, said Guest.

"This ordeal was a learning experience for both of us," he said. "As
soon as my wife found a new home, we immediately purchased renter's
insurance, educated ourselves on fire prevention and home safety
measures, and committed to save more money."

Guest and his wife bestow a great deal of credit toward their network of
supportive family and friends, including service members here, who
carried them through the roughest period of their lives. On the weekend
of their first anniversary, they celebrated with dinner and a movie,
capped off by a relaxing evening in their new home.

"We had a great double anniversary weekend," said Guest. "I hope going
forward things only get better. We are still planning our honeymoon and
hopefully, we can avoid any hurricanes."

1/15/2014 - JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- For
their last full day in Hawaii, several participants and volunteers of
the 2014 Wounded Warrior Pacific Invitational participated in an
adaptive surf session at Waikiki Beach in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jan. 11.

Under the instruction and supervision of trained surf professionals, the
participants received training on how surf, specific to their comfort
level, and hit the waves.

Tony Jasso, program manager for the Air Force Adaptive Sports Program,
said he was impressed at how well the participants did during the surf
activities.

"I think today has given the Warriors another sport that can have a
healing effect on their lives," Jasso said. "There's something about the
ocean that helps bring an inner peace they might not be able to get in
the gym or on the track."

Retired Army Sgt. Kari Miller, a WWPI participant, said surfing was challenging and forced her out of her comfort zone.

"Surfing gave me a sense of excitement and another challenge to take
on," Miller, a double amputee athlete, said. "Getting out there and
confronting the big waves and animals in the water - it's a way for us
to get over our fears. Instead of thinking about all the things that
could go wrong, I just focused on having fun and catching a wave or two.
It was a great time."

The surfing day wrapped up a week of adaptive athletic events including
cycling, seated volleyball, swimming, track and field and wheelchair
basketball.

Jasso said he feels confident the athletes grew mentally, physically and emotionally over the past week.

"This week the athletes learned more about teamwork, selflessness, and
service to their fellow teammates," he said. "It's been a time where
there has been a lot of growing, healing, and raising the bar in regards
to what these athletes want in their recovery. It's been an important
week helping them forget about what they can't do because, instead,
they're learning what they can."

1/16/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- The
alarm bell clangs in the fire station: ice water rescue. Firefighters
scramble to the truck and are out the door in less than 60 seconds.
Conditions permitting, they can reach some of the remote lakes on Joint
Base Elmendorf-Richardson in seven to 10 minutes. In water at the
freezing point, even an experienced swimmer in good condition could die
or become incapacitated in less than 15 minutes.

One minute to dress, seven to get to the water's edge: eight minutes.
The responders have about seven minutes to make the difference between
life and death - rescue or recovery.

This small window of time to make a difference in extreme temperatures
is why members of the 673d Civil Engineer Squadron conducted ice water
rescue training Jan. 11 at Upper Otter Lake on JBER. The training
prepared firefighters on the proper methods of water rescue; when
minutes and seconds count, it pays to be ready to act instinctively.

The training is an annual requirement for military and civilian
firefighters new to the concept of ice water rescue. It requires
participants to travel out to a sheet of ice covering the lake and
plunge in, one by one, in simulated rescue scenarios. Each scenario
varied in conditions and required firefighters to perform specific
rescue sequences with various tools. For example, using specialized
survival suits, rescuers would break the ice at their feet, swim out to
the deepest part of the lake, swim back and climb back onto the surface.
Firefighters completed this process several times to ensure all members
could effectively get in and out of frigid water.

"We came here today to learn the ice rescue technician course and it was
a lot of fun," said Airman 1st Class Cody Burnett, 673d CES
firefighter. "I learned a lot of stuff. We used things such as Mustang
suits, which were insulated outfits that doubled as personal floatation
devices, so we can float to the victim and back to land with very
minimal effort."

As the training progressed, trainers implemented additional pieces of equipment for use.

The trainees used ropes to reel in victims and drag them to shore and
sent an inflatable boat to retrieve multiple victims while trainers blew
whistles to signal others for help.

Louis LaRousse, 673d CES firefighter, was the lead instructor for the
training. He required the participants treat each exercise as if they
were real rescues.

"I try to make it as realistic as possible," LaRousse said. "It's a
service we provide to the people. When we do have an issue, emergency or
real-world, members of the 673d CES fire department here on base can
provide coverage for both the Air Force and the Army side."

by Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Barnett
673d Air Base Wing Public Affairs

1/16/2014 - JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- When
Gaebriel Diaz left Eagle River for Basic Military Training in San
Antonio, Texas, his wife, Samantha, was left with two small children and
instructions to obtain her military identification card.

New to the military and unable to contact her husband to ask questions, she turned to social media for help.

"I had no idea where to go or what to do," Diaz said. "That's when I
found the Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Wives page on Facebook and I
put up a post saying that I'm new and I don't know where to go. A few
ladies answered and they referred me to Petra. She saw it, dropped
everything and instantly asked to meet up. She said, 'I'll bring you on
and show you around.' She signed me on base. I really appreciated it."

Petra Cooke, wife of Army Master Sgt. Travis Cooke, acting First
Sergeant for Comanche Company, 1st Battalion (Airborne), 501st Infantry
Regiment, and a native of Paris, Texas, is an example of a military
spouse who loves helping people, and hopes that feeling will rub off on
others.

"It's not really volunteering," Cooke said. "It's more just serving the
community. For example, with Samantha, I offered to help and thank God
she took it. We got a lot of stuff done. I helped her get on base, we
got her I.D. and we got her signed up on TRICARE."

They also used the opportunity and checked out some of the programs like Family Advocacy, she said.

"It can be challenging for military families to have the opportunity to
gain knowledge about resources," said Jennifer Frysz, Family Advocacy
Outreach manager and native of Buffalo, N.Y. "When we have seasoned
spouses who have been around, they are one of our greatest assets. They
help break down stigmas associated with some agencies. Our military
spouses are a key point in getting communication out there."

Cooke doesn't just wait for someone to ask for help - she takes the initiative.

"Those are the things I do. I see a need, I roll up my sleeves and I do
it," she said. "If someone says they have a really bad cold, I make some
chicken soup and bring it over."

Cooke has created programs and events to fill needs, such as organizing
morale packages for single Soldiers in her husband's company. They also
provided a homemade Christmas dinner including cookies for the
installation gate guards.
"I love just seeing them be happy having a little taste of Christmas in
the barracks," said Cooke, a native of Berlin, Germany. "You leave your
comfort bubble, you see a need and you just act on it. It doesn't hurt
to offer help to somebody. What's the worst that will happen, they say
no? At that moment, that person feels that you care."

Cooke said she hopes others will follow her example, and those she helps will pay it forward.

"If I can help one spouse at a time make that transition to being a pro
at the military lifestyle, it needs to be done," she said. "I help
Samantha and then maybe down the line, she pays it forward to the next
one."

She recommended knowing what programs are where, such as what's offered
in Building 600, the Arctic Chill, the Arctic Oasis and other
facilities. She suggested keeping those phone numbers handy for yourself
and others.

"I make it a point to help a different person every day," she said. "I would love for others to do that too."

"Petra bringing folks in here is a perfect example of connecting people
and resources, which makes my job easier and helps families," Frysz
said. "She's an example of a spouse who puts her best foot forward and
gets people connected. She actually cares about people getting out of
their house. She sees value in helping people."

1/16/2014 - LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. -- A
civilian volunteer who fell to his death was not properly secured to
his harness while he was being lowered from an HH-60G operated by the
California Air National Guard. The accident occurred approximately 30
miles east of Visalia, California, Sept. 12, 2013, according to an Air
Combat Command Accident Investigation Board report released today.

Shane Krogen, the founder and executive director of the High Sierra
Volunteer Trail Crew, was being lowered by members of the 129th Rescue
Wing at Moffett Federal Airfield, California. The helicopter, working as
part of California Joint Task Force Domestic Support counterdrug
operations, was participating in the environmental clean-up and
restoration of a contaminated marijuana grow site in the Sequoia
National Forest.

At the time of the mishap, the HH-60G was piloted by the copilot, and
the hoist was being operated from the right side of the aircraft by an
aircrew member from the Special Missions Aviation career field. The
board president found, by clear and convincing evidence, the cause of
the mishap was that Mr. Krogen mistakenly attached the aircraft's hoist
to his self-procured, non-load-bearing, plastic D ring instead of to the
metal load-bearing, metal D ring. When the plastic D ring broke, Mr.
Krogen fell from the aircraft to the ground from an approximate
forty-foot hover and sustained fatal injuries.

The board president found, by the preponderance of evidence, that one of
the helicopter crewmembers did not maintain adequate oversight during
flight and hoist operations and that Mr. Krogen's use of his personal
equipment excessively cluttered the area around the load-bearing, metal
D-ring, interfering with safe connection and visual inspection.

Additionally, personnel from the 129th RQW, JTFDS and the California
National Guard did not follow established procedures for determining Mr.
Krogen's status and gaining approval for his participation in the hoist
operation. It is the board president's determination that these three
factors substantially contributed to the mishap.

For more information, contact Air Combat Command Public Affairs at (757) 764-5007 or via e-mail accpa.operations@us.af.mil.

WASHINGTON (1/16/14) - From responding to wildfires and floods
in the western United States to an earthquake on the other side of the
globe, Army aviation has been an important part of response missions to
save lives and help those in affected communities, said a National Guard
official.

Army aviation has "unique capabilities" that allow it to
provide critical assistance in humanitarian and disaster relief efforts,
said Brig. Gen. Michael E. Bobeck, special assistant to the director,
Army National Guard.

With helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and unmanned aerial
systems, Army aviation in active, Guard and Reserve components can take
on a range of missions to safeguard the health and well-being of
affected populations, he said.

"We have a force of choice that can be utilized not only here at home, but around the world," he said.
Bobeck was part of a panel discussion on "Army Aviation in
Civil Support and Consequence Management," at the Association of the
United States Army Aviation Symposium, Jan. 14, in Arlington, Va.

During wildfires last year in California, he said, the
California National Guard deployed remotely piloted unmanned aircraft,
known as UASs, or unmanned aircraft systems, that provided critical
situation awareness and aided firefighters in finding hot spots on the
ground.

"This is probably the first time we've used a UAS in support of a wildfire," he said.

"The proliferation of UAS affords what I think is just the
beginning of providing capability for both active and guard to use their
UAS in a civil support and consequence management role," he said.

Other domestic missions of Army aviation include working with
federal agents to secure the U.S. border, as well as responding to the
floods in Colorado last year and Hurricane Sandy in 2012, he said.
Army aviation provided an "incredible response," he said, to Hurricane Sandy in helping the citizens of New York and New Jersey.

In addition, the Army National Guard also takes part in major
national security events such as inaugurations, including the Jan. 11
installation of a new governor in Virginia.

"They do it quietly, professionally and they are on time and on
target and they do it very well," said Col. Mark W. Weiss, the chief of
the Army National Guard's aviation division.

The Army National Guard has aviation capacity and capability in
each U.S. state, territory and the District of Columbia, Weiss told the
forum.

"We are geographically dispersed. We are readily available and always accessible," he said.
In addition, Weiss noted that the Army National Guard has been
involved in medical evacuations, tornado response, and counter-drug
operations in the United States.

Army aviation regularly conducts search and rescue missions, he
said. More than 1,600 people were saved or assisted domestically in
fiscal year 2013 by Army aviation. He said most of the people helped
were in the floods in Colorado.

More than $5 billion in drugs have been kept off the streets in
fiscal year 2013, said Weiss, with Army aviation supporting and adding
value to the counter-drug efforts by law enforcement agents.

Global examples of Army aviation providing support in times of
crises include responding to earthquakes in Pakistan in 2005, and in
Haiti in 2010, and for humanitarian assistance in Nicaragua in 2009,
said Bobeck.

The general noted that after the earthquake struck Pakistan in
2005, that active-duty guard forces were deployed from Afghanistan to
Pakistan to provide assistance.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2014 – Military recruiting is going
well today, but economic and demographic changes will make the environment more
difficult in the future, said Vee Penrod, the deputy assistant secretary of
defense for military personnel policy.

Penrod and the armed services’ personnel chiefs testified
today before the House Armed Services military personnel subcommittee.

The U.S. all-volunteer force continues to be the strongest
and most well-respected military in the world, Penrod said. It has been
stressed through more than 12 years of war, but it has proven to be resilient.

New recruit quality is at an all-time high, “and in almost
every category, we continue to achieve the numbers of volunteers required to
sustain this professional force,” she said.

Recruiting the best young Americans remains the key to
success of the military, and economic and demographic changes may make this
more difficult.

The number of youth eligible to enlist is limited, she said.
Roughly 75 percent of American youth are not qualified for military service.
“There are a number of reasons for this, but the main reasons among them are
health and fitness issues,” Penrod said.

The propensity to enlist is also down. “Since 2004, the
percent of youths who associate military service with an attractive lifestyle
is down approximately 20 percent,” she said.

The overall health of the economy also plays a role in attracting
eligible youth. The last couple of years of relatively high youth unemployment
have served as a driver for more people to consider military service. “As the
economy improves, however, we expect youth interest in military service as an
employment option to decline,” Penrod said.

“To expand the recruiting market, the department has long
supported the enlistment of non-citizens, to the extent permitted by law,
subject to these individuals to being otherwise qualified for service in the
United States armed forces,” she said.

DOD is conducting a comprehensive review of immigration
issues as they relate to serve in the armed forces. Penrod promised to share
the conclusions of that review with Congress.

Fiscal realities also impact recruiting, requiring the
services to continuously adjust recruiting programs. “To overcome potential
challenges that may lie ahead, we must ensure our recruiters are trained and
the appropriate recruiting resources are available to meet these challenges,”
she said.

CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS) -- As Martin Luther King
Jr. Day approaches, many of us are deciding which activities to participate in
on our day off, that we forget to reflect on the meaning behind this special
celebration. The purpose of the holiday is to empower people to see their role
in continuing the legacy of King. This holiday is an instrument used to inspire
individuals to use their strengths, passions and talents to better the lives of
others and impact their local and global communities.

In 1983, legislation was signed creating a federal holiday
marking the birth of King. This extraordinary holiday is observed on the third
Monday of January each year, which is close to the birthday of King, Jan. 15.
President Bill Clinton signed federal legislation into law Aug. 23, 1994,
making Martin Luther King Jr. Day a national day of service. The federal
legislation challenges Americans to transform this holiday into a day of
citizen action and volunteer service in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

When I reflect on this day and what it means, a quote from
the late widow of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. comes to mind.

"(The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday) is a day of
interracial and intercultural cooperation and sharing," Coretta Scott King
said. "No other day of the year brings so many peoples from different
cultural backgrounds together in such a vibrant spirit of brother and
sisterhood. Whether you are African-American, Hispanic or Native American,
whether you are Caucasian or Asian-American, you are part of the great dream
Martin Luther King, Jr. had for America. This is not a black holiday; it is a
peoples' holiday. And it is the young people of all races and religions who
hold the keys to the fulfillment of his dream."

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is a holiday for everyone. It
is a chance for everyone to honor the life and teachings of King through
community service. That service may meet a tangible need, such as collecting
food for the less fortunate, or it may exhibit the spirit of the holiday, such
as building a sense of community. It is up to you to make a change. What mark
will you leave on your community?

WASHINGTON, Jan. 16, 2014 – Retesting of all ICBM launch
crewmen will finish today, the Pentagon press secretary announced during a news
conference.

Air Force officials ordered the retesting after discovering
that nuclear launch crews cheated on proficiency exams. A total of 34 crewmen
at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont., have been suspended from duty due to the
allegations.

Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said that as of last night, 277
out of the total of 497 ICBM crew had taken the test. This is about 55 percent
of the entire force. Of these, 96 percent passed. A total of 11 airmen failed
the exam.

“For those 11 who failed, they’ll be retrained and returned
to duty following a second re-test,” Kirby said.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is intensely interested in the
matter and intends to follow it closely, Kirby said, adding that Hagel
considers the security and effectiveness of the nuclear mission to be vital.

Hagel is open to any method to improve the nuclear force,
Kirby said. The secretary visited ICBM crewmen last week and asked if new
incentives would help recruit and retain them. “They acknowledged that it’s
something that they talk about in the force – the potential value incentives,”
Kirby said. “But they also said that they take great pride in what they do and
… they weren’t sure whether incentives would make that much of a difference.”

The secretary indicated, however, that he is willing to
think about incentives. “He didn’t make any decisions,” Kirby said. “He didn’t
make any promises. But he expressed that he is willing to look at that. He
considers the ICBM force – that leg of the triad – that vital, and he's not
going to close any doors.”